What do you do if architects and engineers struggle to work together on sustainable building designs?

This is another way of describing an Integrative Process, which is the best path to highly sustainable outcomes on a project. In addition to alignment on expectations, IP helps reconcile challenges and elevate potential (rather than compromising and lessening it). Early alignment and true collaboration aimed at elevating performance of all building systems fosters a different dialog between A and E teammates, which ultimately benefits the project, the client and the end users.

Synergy between architects and engineers is paramount for quality sustainable design. sustainable project development is a complex process that involves teamwork and problem solving as a prerequisite, so initial vetting of your architect and engineering team is key. My experience has been however that during a project sometimes issues can arise and where the entire team struggles. These situations must be carefully discussed, without blame, justification or complaining. The team must commit to being open-minded and to finding that common ground that ultimately benefits the overall project design. Owners must be active in these situations and set a exact timeline for the team to find a resolution so project can move forward without delay.

To help architects and engineers collaborate on sustainable building designs, they can start by sharing their goals and ideas early on. This way, they can create a common understanding and work together smoothly.

One practical approach is to conduct informal introductory or conceptual meetings. This relaxed atmosphere allows flexibility and creativity when exchanging ideas on sustainable building projects.

Encourage open and transparent communication between architects and engineers. Regular meetings and discussions can help ensure that everyone is on the same page and has a clear understanding of project goals and requirements.

Silos hinder sustainability! Architect-engineer communication gaps stall green designs. We fix this. Regular meetings with clear agendas ensure both sides are heard. Cloud-based design software fosters transparency, allowing real-time visualization of how decisions impact sustainability. A dedicated liaison, fluent in both architecture and engineering, translates technicalities into design concepts. This bridges the communication gap and creates a cohesive team driving sustainable solutions.

Architects should be introduced to the roles of their principal collaborators as part of their education and the extent of the knowledge base which they as architects should have in order to lead the design conversation... in my role as a lecturer in architecture I taught design, sustainability and technology. The architects knowledge base should be wide, it is unlikely to be deep in all areas , hence some humility in their interactions with consultants is appropriate, but if they ask good leading questions high quality solutions can result.

Clear Roles and Responsibilities: Define clear roles and responsibilities for architects and engineers within the design process. This helps avoid confusion and ensures that everyone understands their contribution to the project.

Bring in the builder. Often the engineer is limited by their design challenges in executing architectural intent. Creating a real world working solution with actual costs often resolves the issues directly. What does it cost to implement and is the client willing to pay for it? Design all you want, but someone has to approve the costs associated with it. If architect demands an engineering thesis level study to achieve their design and feels the time is well spent, the engineer is happy to charge for it. If the study proves that their design doesn't work, then the architect has to explain the costs to the owner. Either way, informed design in making construction decisions comes from making building elements. Visit a fabricator for clarity.

Without the client’s and the design team’s full support for a sustainable goal, success will be marginal at best. I remind the engineering team members that obtaining sustainable goals requires the support of all disciplines, that making any and all possible efforts towards achieving those goals is our responsibility as consultants, and that we benefit the project, the client, ourselves and the planet earth by doing so.

I've not had an experience where I 'struggled' with engineers on my project to meet the project sustainability goals because the projects' goals are clearly defined up front.